Emily Remler – Cookin’ At The Queens (ENG review)

Resonance Records – Street Date : November 29th, 2024
Jazz
Emily Remler – Cookin’ At The Queens

Once again, the Resonance label brings us an exceptional release with this double live album of Emily Remler, who departed this world in 1990, leaving a lasting mark on generations of jazz guitarists. These recordings are part of a collection of rare broadcasts on KNPR Las Vegas from 1984 and 1988, during Alan Grant’s weekly program, 4 Queens Jazz Night from Las Vegas. Cookin’ at the Queens captures Remler in inspired performances—first in quartet with pianist Cocho Arbe, bassist Carson Smith, and drummer Tom Montgomery in 1984, and later in trio with Carson Smith and drummer John Pisci in 1988.

What stands out in Emily Remler’s guitar playing is above all the finesse and exquisite precision she brought to a style that seemed almost nonchalant in its expression. This unique quality stems from her profound sense of musicality.

Recorded live at the 4 Queens hotel-casino in Las Vegas’s historic district (the same venue where Shirley Horn’s Live at the 4 Queens, released by Resonance in 2016, was also captured), these spellbinding performances reveal Remler’s deep love for her guitar hero, Wes Montgomery, as well as other influential figures like Pat Martino and George Benson. Together, they represent some of the most captivating, dynamic, exploratory, and inspired moments of her career. The sound quality is modest, owing to the recording techniques available to radio broadcasts at the time, which weren’t focused on high fidelity. Yet, despite this, rediscovering her legendary style on a double CD is a joy that is hard to conceal.

“Anyone who ever heard Emily play could tell instantly how much Wes Montgomery was a part of her life,” remarked bassist Eddie Gomez, who played on Remler’s albums *Transitions* (1983) and *Catwalk* (1985) with drummer Bob Moses. “She had that distinctive sound and feel that was all Wes. Other guitarists might have tried to emulate various players, but she truly captured Wes’s essence. With eyes closed, you’d think you were listening to Wes Montgomery. It was truly remarkable.”

It’s hard not to agree with his words. Emily Remler’s influence continues to echo among young guitarists today. Sheryl Bailey, one of her disciples, who was fortunate enough to take a guitar lesson with Remler in her youth, recalled, “The lesson was incredible—one of the best. She was an excellent teacher, who knew exactly what I needed and communicated it clearly. I use everything she taught me daily, and I pass it on to all my students. As a musician, she swung, she had soul, she was melody-driven, with a beautiful sound, an impressive technique, and mastery over her instrument. And she was a great educator.”

These words perfectly capture what we felt with each of her albums, or rather with any album on which she played. A prime example is her collaboration on pianist David Benoit’s 1989 release *Waiting for Spring*, one of her most beautiful contributions, where her musicality shines through in Benoit’s marvelous work.

The renowned producer Zev Feldman, who oversaw this Resonance Records release, added, “Over time, the legacy of certain artists becomes even more compelling and important, and I believe Emily Remler is one of them. She deserves greater recognition. She was a trailblazer, and I hope these recordings will help affirm her significance.”

This indeed confirms what I was saying: today, perhaps more than ever, Emily Remler remains in our hearts for the extraordinary quality of her work—a body of work that we honor in our own way by making this double CD one of our ‘top picks’.

Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News

PARIS-MOVE, October 27th 2024

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